Blast Defeat Metrostars 6-3

Baltimore, MD - The Blast continue their perfect record against the Metrostars this season with a 6-3 victory.

Early in the first quarter, Jonatas Melo ran through the Metrostars defense and was able to create a 1v1 chance but hit the ball straight at Metrostars goalkeeper Adrian Becic. Five minutes into the first quarter, the Blast opened the scoring through Ibrahima Keita's first Blast goal. Tony Donatelli was credited his ninth assist of the season in the Blast's opening goal. The Blast exuded a calm demeanor while in defense throughout the quarter, allowing only one shot. Chances from Vini Dantas and Jon Orlando were parried away by Adrian Becic and the first quarter ended with the Blast leading 1-0.

The Metrostars grew into the game and finally found their equalizer after a good spell of play. Metrostars midfielder Joshua Paredes received a pass across the face of goal and finished a one-time shot into the bottom near post corner. One minute later, Metrostars defender Darren Chambers intercepted the ball and ran the length of the field to find Jared Phillips wide open to put the Metrostars up 2-1. The Blast would charge back in the last five minutes to regain the lead. First, Jamie Thomas led the Blast counterattack and found Vini Dantas in front of goal to tie the game. The Blast would regain the lead through a massive goal line scramble that eventually ended with Jamie Thomas collecting his sixth goal of the season. The Blast went into halftime leading the Metrostars 3-2.

Jonatas Melo would extend the Blast's lead to 4-2 midway through the second quarter, as he picked up the loose ball at the top of the box and put the shot past Becic. A blue card issued to Sam Guernsey would see the Blast on the penalty kill for two minutes. The Blast scored a short-handed goal midway into the powerplay through Vini Dantas. Dantas fired a free-kick past Becic into the top left corner to put the Blast up 5-2. The Metrostars would get a goal on the powerplay a minute later through forward Matthew Rios' fifth goal of the season. Vanzela and Becic were kept busy throughout the quarter, as both goalkeepers made great saves to deny the opposition from scoring.

Both goalkeepers were kept busy through the beginning of the fourth quarter. Each team had several chances, but could not produce a goal. Midway through the fourth quarter, Vini Dantas collected his hat-trick with an incredible piece of skill that resulted in a first-time volley past Adrian Becic to put the Blast up 6-3. The Metrostars elected to play with a sixth attacker for the remaining six minutes of regulation. The Blast defense stood strong for the remainder of the fourth quarter as the Blast were victorious 6-3.

The Blast were led by Vini Dantas, who recorded a hat-trick in the Blast victory. Five Metrostars players tallied one point in the Metrostars defeat. William Vanzela recorded nine saves while Adrian Becic compiled ten saves in the game. The Metrostars outshot the Blast 23-19 in the game. The Blast improve to 9-5 on the season and 4-0 versus the Metrostars this season. Mississauga falls to 2-11 on the season and will face the Harrisburg Heat on Sunday February 17th.

The Blast are back in action on Friday, February 22nd at 7:35 P.M. when they return home to face the Milwaukee Wave for the MASL Game of the Week. You can catch the game live on MASLTV and on Eleven Sports.